Who We Are
Founded in 2013, Proficio Consulting Group is a one-of-a-kind resource focused on special education programs. Proficio is comprised of full-time Partners and on-call Associates in order to satisfy a diverse range of client needs and requests. Our collective experiences allow us to recognize and understand the intricacies of everyday responsibilities in a variety of school settings. We believe in utilizing a collaborative efficiency model to provide foundational support in achieving outcomes.

Meet the Team
Paul Nijensohn, Managing Partner & Founder
Paul has a B.A. in Education and Spanish from Knox College and a M.Ed. in Special Education from Loyola University. Paul is knowledgeable in the workings of state education agencies and special education programs from his many years in the education field as a paraprofessional, special education teacher, vocational coordinator, administrator, and state monitor.

Heather Zeman, Partner
Heather Zeman has B.Ed. in Special Education and a M.A. in Counseling from the University of Toledo. Heather’s diverse background in education includes roles such as residential program staff, special education teacher, counselor, intervention coordinator, IEP evaluator, and state monitor.

Both Partners are accomplished program evaluators, having conducted numerous school evaluations for the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE). In that role, they oversaw and monitored the administration of nonpublic special education programs including the evaluation and approval of school applications, annual reviews, and the ongoing revision of application forms and processes.  They are committed to advancing best practices in all educational environments through the use of their collective teaching, administrative, and governmental experiences.

Proficio Associates
Associates are experts in their respective fields. They are brought in on a case-by-case basis to provide our clients with the most current, evidence-based techniques for working with their students. Associates are state and nationally-known researchers and trainers that can offer practical, meaningful solutions. These influential leaders use their experiences to benefit your program.